The Impact of Septic Systems on Coastal Environments: A Focus on Cape Cod Septic systems, which manage wastewater in areas without centralized sewer systems, play a vital role in human sanitation. Because these systems were designed primarily to reduce health risks to humans without much by way of nutrient removal, they typically divert wastewater away from drinking water sources and release effluent into a leach field for natural filtration. Despite their importance for individual properties, septic systems pose environmental challenges, especially in sensitive watersheds like Cape Cod. Septic systems treat and dispose of household wastewater onsite, removing harmful pathogens and pollutants through settling and diversion. The septic tank separates solids, and the liquid effluent undergoes further treatment in the leach field through microbial action and soil filtration. In areas where centralized sewer systems are impractical, septic systems offer a decentralized solution. These onsite systems are quite common in regions like